HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: ptj.20060062v1 87/11/1441    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chen, Y.-P. Articles by Sung, W.-H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chen, Y.-P. Articles by Sung, W.-H. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Use of Virtual Reality to Improve Upper-Extremity Control in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Single-Subject Design

YP Chen, PT, ScD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, California State University, Fresno, Calif.
LJ Kang, PT, MS, is a doctoral student in the Programs in Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pa.
TY Chuang, MD, is Attending Physician and Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, and School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
JL Doong, PhD, is Professor, Department of Industrial Design, Tatung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
SJ Lee, PT, PhD, is Associate Professor, Institute and Faculty of Physical Therapy, National Yang-Ming University.
MW Tsai, PT, PhD, is Lecturer at the Institute and Faculty of Physical Therapy, National Yang-Ming University.
SF Jeng, PT, PhD, is Professor, School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, and Adjunct Physical Therapist, Department of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
WH Sung, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, I-Shou University, No. 1, Sec. 1, Syuecheng Rd, Dashu Township, Kao-hsiung County, Taiwan 840.

whsung{at}isu.edu.tw

vsoong{at}mail2000.com.tw

Background and Purpose: Virtual reality (VR) creates an exercise environment in which the intensity of practice and positive feedback can be systematically manipulated in various contexts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the training effects of a VR intervention on reaching behaviors in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Participants: Four children with spastic CP were recruited.

Method: A single-subject design (A-B with follow-up) was used. All children were evaluated with 3 baseline, 4 intervention, and 2 follow-up measures. A 4-week individualized VR training program (2 hours per week) with 2 VR systems was applied to all children. The outcome measures included 4 kinematic parameters (movement time, path length, peak velocity, and number of movement units) for mail-delivery activities in 3 directions (neutral, outward, and inward) and the Fine Motor Domain of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales–Second Edition (PDMS-2). Visual inspection and the 2-standard-deviation–band method were used to compare the outcome measures.

Results: Three children who had normal cognition showed improvements in some aspects of reaching kinematics, and 2 children's change scores on the PDMS-2 reached the minimal detectable change during the intervention. The improvements in kinematics were partially maintained during follow-up.

Discussion and Conclusion: A 4-week individualized VR training program appeared to improve the quality of reaching in children with CP, especially in children with normal cognition and good cooperation. The training effects were retained in some children after the intervention.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. E Deutsch, M. Borbely, J. Filler, K. Huhn, and P. Guarrera-Bowlby Use of a Low-Cost, Commercially Available Gaming Console (Wii) for Rehabilitation of an Adolescent With Cerebral Palsy Physical Therapy, October 1, 2008; 88(10): 1196 - 1207. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]